Venetian blind



W. BROWN VENETIAN BLIND April 11, 1961 Filed June 5, 1956 INVENTOR w/LL/AM BEOW/V M W ATTORNEY5 United rates Fatent VENETIAN BLIND William Brown, Livingston, NJ.

Filed June 5, 1956, Ser. No. 589,525

9 Claims. (Cl. 160-115) My invention relates to a Venetian-blind construction.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved device of the character indicated.

It is another object to provide a Venetian blind featuring improved mechanism for retaining a tilt adjustment for the slats thereof.

It is another object to provide an improved Venetian blind in which tilt adjustment of the slats may be eifected without the use of control cords and without requiring extreme reach.

It is another object to provide an improved Venetian blind in which independent adjustment may be made for the tilt of various sets of slats in the entire blind, so that the slats may be selectively opened or closed off, as desired, at various different elevations in the blind.

It is a general object to meet the above objects with a simple construction lending itself to ready adaptability to a window frame and having a single elevating mechanism for raising all slats of the blinds, no matter how many independently controlled sets of slats there may be.

Other objects and various further features of novelty and invention will become apparent or will occur to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In said drawings, which show, for illustrative purposes only, preferred forms of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a Venetian blind incorporating features of the invention and shown mounted in a window frame;

Fig. 1-A is an enlarged fragmentary detail of a mounting mechanism for the arrangement of Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in perspective of a blind as in Fig. 1, but incorporating modified tilt mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view similar to Fig. l, but illustrating a blind in which independent adjustment of slat openings may be made for a plurality of sets of slats; and

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are simplified views in side elevation to illustrate an alternate employment of the arrangement of Fig. 2.

Briefly stated, my invention contemplates a Venetianblind construction in which an entire blind assembly is suspended from a relatively rigid upper bar or strip member. The bar or strip member is, in turn, pivotally suspended directly from the window frame. The lower end of the blind includes a relatively rigid bar or strip member, and flexible connecting means, such as webbing, is rigidly secured to the upper and lower bars and supports all intervening slats in properly spaced relation. Tilt adjustment of the lower bar creates corresponding tilt adjustment in the upper bar and in all intervening slats. Detent mechanism, referenced to the window frame, is adapted to retain an adjusted tilt of one of the bars. In one form of the invention, the detent mechanism is built into or forms a part of the pivot suspension for the upper bar, while in the other general form of the invention, the detent mechanism comprises a separate assembly mounted 2,979,127.. Patented Apr. 11, 1961 ice . at its ends, as at 12, engaged in suitable support brackets,

as at 13, mounted on the window frame. For the blind shown in Fig. 1, an elongated lower rigid :bar 14 and a similar intermediate rigid bar 15 serve as particular slats in a series including slats 16 of a first set, and slats 17 of a second set. Flexible connecting means, such as webbing 18, is rigidly secured (as at 19) to the upper bar 11 and (at 29) to the intermediate bar 15 and to the lower bar 14. The webbing 18 will be understood to pass continuously up and down the front and back edges of all slats 16-17 and may be provided in laterally spaced plurality, depending upon the length of the blind; a second such webbing 18 happens to be shown for the blind of Fig.1. Connecting webbing or tape (not shown) will also be understood to support the slats 16-17 in properly spaced relation on the webbing 18-18. Hoisting means for raising and lowering the blind may include first and second pull cords 21-21 tied to a common knob 22 and passing through aligned holes in all the slats and bars, except, of course, that it is anchored to the bottom bar 14.

In accordance with the invention, detent mechanism referenced to the frame 10 is adapted to retain an adjusted tilt of one of the relatively rigid bars 11-14-15, whereby an adjusted tilt of the slats 16-17 is held. In the form shown and with reference particularly to Fig. l-A, the detent mechanism happens to be built into and forms a part of the pivot bracket or journal assembly 13. This assembly may comprise a detent member 22 suitably retained Within a frame member 23 and normally springurged in a downward direction to engage a selected one of a plurality of flutings 24 of a pivot part carried by the upper relatively rigid bar member 11. It will be understood that whether tilt adjustment be made manually by tilting the bar 14 or by tilting the bar 15, the detent mechanism 22-24 will adapt the inclination of the upper bar 11 to conform with the adjustment and to hold the adjustment.

In Fig. 2; I show a modification wherein detent action is accomplished at a separate adjustment-knob assembly 25 secured to the frame 10 of the window, in which case the upper pivotal suspension for bar 11 need not incorporate detent means. The assembly 25 may comprise a suitably knurled, fluted, or otherwise formed knob 26 pivoted to the mounting plate 2.7 and incorporating internal frame-referenced detent mechanism (not shown) for resiliently holding any one of a plurality of selected angular positions of the knob 26. The knob 26 is shown to include a diametrical slot 28 having preferably a closed end and therefore open only at one diametrical end as shown. The slot 28 is of a width to slidingly receive the laterally projecting end of the intermediate rigid bar or strip 15, and insertion is made when the blind is lowered; if desired, friction means (not shown) may coact between slot 28 and bar 15 to retain the latter against inadvertent loss, as in the presence of a draft through an open window. I prefer that the knob assembly 25 be provided in duplicate, that is, that the same assembly be provided on the other side of the window frame so that, when the blind is lowered, both ends of the bar 15 are inserted into and held by knob assemblies 25. Thereafter, a tilt of one of the knob assemblies, as at 26, serves to tilt the entire strip 15, as well as all slats 15-17 and bars 11-14. Operation of the pull-cord means 22 enables merely the lower part of the blind to be raised and lowered; ordinarily this will be sufiicient because the lower half of a double-hung window is the part usually opened. to raise the blind for the entire height, it is a simple matter to slide the bar out of the slots 28 of assemblies and then to raise the blind its full height.

In Fig. 3, I show another embodiment of the invention wherein upper and lower sets of slats 30-61 are independently adjustably tilted and held in adjusted tilted position. The upper assembly may in virtually all respects be described by the parts identified in Figs. 1 and 2, and therefore the same reference numerals are employed. The lower assembly comprises an upper relatively rigid bar or strip 32 and a lower rigid bar or strip 33. Connecting means, such as webbing 3435 is secured to the upper and lower bars 3233 and is completely independent of the webbing 18-18 of the upper set. The lower set is freely pivotally suspended from the upper set, as by means of chain connections 36-37, ty-

- ing laterally spaced central parts of the strips 1532 to each other. The hoisting mechanism may again employ a pull-cord arrangement 21-21, the individual cords passing through aligned holes in all strips and slats, except of course for anchorage in the bottom strip 33 of the structure.

For angular adjustment of the upper bank of slats, I show a detent knob 33 which may in all respects resemble that described at 26 in Fig. 2, the knob 38 being based on the window frame 10 and being removably engageable at slot 39 with one of the ends of the strip 15. In the same manner, an adjustment knob 40 may similarly engage the strip 32. Both the knobs 38-40 may be mounted on the same base 41 for unitary adaptation to the window frame 19. As described for Fig. 2, the knob assemblies 41 may be provided in duplicate at opposite longitudinal ends of the strips 15-32.

In use, once the blind has been lowered, the central part may be pulled away from the window frame to permit diametrical insertion of the ends of strips 1532 in their respective knob slots. Once thus inserted, the hoisting means 22 is effetcive to raise and lower the lower slat sections 31 as desired, without affecting independent tilt adjustments a 384t). This means that the upper blind section may be open for admission of light or closed for privacy or to block out light, regardless of the elevated position of the lower section of the blind. Also, when the lower blind elements are raised and lowered, the adjustment (at 40) of the tilt of slats 31 is retained.

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 illustrate an alternate employment of the arrangement of Fig. 2, that is, involving use of an adjustable-tilt mechanism 26 secured in the side panel 10 of the sash frame. Fig. 4 illustrates suspension of a Venetian blind as of the type shown in Fig. l and including the stiff central tilt bar 15, it being noted that when the blind is fully extended and is supported only from the top bar 11, the retaining slot 28 of the adjustable-tilt mechanism 26 is substantially above the location of bar 15; preferably, this difierence in elevation amounts to substantially the effective width of a slat 16, as shown. To set the lower bank of slats 17 for independent tilt adjustment, the bar 15 is grasped and bodily lifted for insertion in retaining slots 28 on both sides of the sash frame, thus producing the appearance depicted in Pig. 5. When in this position, adjustment at 26 will serve to tilt only the lower bank of slats 17, without disturbing the setting of the upper bank of slats 16; at the same time, adjustment of the upper bank, as by tilting bar 11, may be made totally independently of the lower-bank setting. Extreme independent tilt adjustments for the upper and lower banks of slats 16-411 respectively, are shown in Fig. 6. As with the other forms which have been described, the entire blind may be raised by the hoist cord 21 common to both banks of slats.

It will be seen that I have described a relatively simple but improved Venetian-blind construction featuring easy If, however, itshould be desired adaptation to a window frame because the only permanently mounted fixtures are the pivot and detent mechanism. There is no need for an elongated upper mounting member to be secured to the upper part of the window frame. Tilt adjustments are retained, once made, regardless of the elevated. or lowered condition of the blind, and for the arrangement of Fig. 3, independent adjustments are available for plural (upper and lower) portions of the blind.

While I have described the invention in detail for the preferred forms shown, it will be understood that modiiications may be made within the scope of the invention as described in the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. In a Venetian blind, a window frame having spaced elongated vertically extending side-frame members defining an opening, an elongated relatively rigid upper bar, a first series of slats suspended from said upper bar, relatively rigid intermediate bar means at the lower end of said series of slats, a second series of slats suspended from said intermediate bar means, a relatively rigid lower bar at the lower end of said second series of slats, said bars and bar means and slats extending across said opening between said side-frame members, connecting means directly tying said upper bar to said intermediate bar means and individually supporting the slats of said first series in spaced relation, connecting means directly tying said lower bar to said intermediate bar means and individually supporting the slats of said second series in spaced relation, means for pivotally mounting the spaced ends of said upper bar in said frame, hoisting means including a cord based on said upper bar and extending through aligned openings in said slats and in said intermediate bar means and anchored to said lower bar, and pivot mechanism for said intermediate-bar means, said pivot mechanism comprising two frame-based devices secured respectively to said side-frame members in opposed relation and at the same vertical location intermediate the upper and lower limits of said opening, said pivot mechanism including detent means and each of said framebased devices having removable engagement with the corresponding adjacent end of said intermediate-bar means.

2. In a Venetian blind, a window frame having spaced elongated vertically extending side-frame members defining an opening, an elongated relatively rigid upper bar pivotally mounted in said frame at the spaced ends of said bar, a first series of slats suspended from said upper bar, a relatively rigid lower bar at the lower end of said series of slats, first connecting means directly tied to said upper and lower bars and individually supporting the slats in said series in spaced relation, a second elongated relatively rigid upper bar pivotally suspended from said lower bar, a second series of slats suspended from said last-defined bar, a second relatively rigid lower bar at the lower end of said second series of slats, said bars and slats extending across said opening between said side-frame members, second connecting means directly tied to the upper and lower bars associated with said second series and individually supporting the slats of said second series in spaced relation, hoisting means including a cordbased on said upper bar and extending through aligned openings in all said slats and in the bars between said series and anchored to said lower bar of said second series, and pivot mechanism for the upper bar of said second series, said pivot mechanism comprising two frame-based devices secured respectively to said sideframe members in opposed relation and at the same vertical-location intermediate the upper and lower limits of said opening, said pivot mechanism including detent means and each of said frame-based devices having removable engagement with the adjacent end of said upper bar of said second series.

3. In a Venetian blind, a window frame having spaced elongated vertically extending side-frame members definaware? ing an opening, an elongated relatively rigid upper bar, a series of slats suspended from said upper bar, a relatively rigid bottom bar at the lower end of said series of slats, a relatively rigid intermediate bar at an intermediate elevation and dividing said slats into an upper series of slats and a lower series of slats, said bars and slots extending across said opening between said side-frame members, ladder-tape means tied to said upper and lower bars and to front and back edges of said intermediate bar and fixedly pivotally individually supporting said slats in spaced relation, means for pivotally mounting the spaced ends of said upper bar in said frame, and pivot mechanism for said rigid intermediate bar, said pivot mechanism comprising two frame-based devices defining a common intermediate pivot axis and secured respectively to said side-frame members in opposed relation beneath said upper bar, the spacing between said upper and intermediate pivot axes being less than the spacing between said upper and intermediate bars as measured along the intervening length of said ladder-tape means, whereby the tilt of said lower series of slats may be adjusted independently of the tilt of said lower series,

4. A Venetian blind according to claim 1, in which said intermediate bar means comprises upper and lower elements adjustably tiltable with respect to each other, the upper element being tied to the connecting means for said first series, and the lower element being tied to the connecting means for said second series.

5. A Venetian blind according to claim 1, in which said intermediate bar means is a single element tied to both said connecting means.

6. A blind according to claim 2, in which each of said frame-based devices includes a knob pivotally supported by said frame, and in which said removable engagement involves insertion of an end of said second upper bar in a diagonal straight slot in the face of said knob. 7. A blind according to claim 2, and second pivot mechanism including two further frame-based devices secured respectively to said side-frame members in opposed relation and at a vertical location spaced above said first-mentioned vertical location by substantially the vertical spacing between the lower bar of said first series and the upper bar of said second series, said second pivot mechanism including detent means and each of said two further frame-based devices having removable engagement with the adjacent end of the lower bar of said first series.

8. A blind according to claim 3, in which said pivoted means includes detent mechanism for retaining a selected tilt adjustment.

9. A blind according to claim 3, in which the amount by which said spacings differ is substantially equal to the width of one of said slats.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Caligari July 15, 1952. 

